F7U Cutlass AIM-7 Sparrow Missile Testing (1956) 

Early Cutlass and early Sparrow. Can't imagine a less effective combination.

Target is a B-17. Low wing, and a rectangular waist-gunner window give it away. The B-29 had the wing mounted mid-fuselage, and a round blister for the aft gunner.

Man I like these old videos!

The Sparrow was a killer-- so was the Cutlass!

It's amazing how dirty the plume is compared to today's missiles. 2 radars to work? So you needed two separate planes to lock on in order for the missiles to properly track?

@PowerWagonMatt Probably as by this time the B-50 had replaced the B-29 in service & there were plenty war weary B-17's,b-24's, & B-29's to use for target practice.

Dang, those early sparrows were vape lords.

@PowerWagonMatt I wanna say thats a B-17. The size, wing position and engine nacelles are different

Ah, the old F7U Cutlass. More like Gutless...

Deathtrap for pilots.

This would be more impressive if they actually fired the Sparrow at something that wasn't directly in front of the plane. If its a guided missile stop using it as an HVAR

@dividednation44 I think you're right.

Entering the military-industrial complex.

I think that first plane shot down was a B-29.

The early Sparrow missile was a total dud.

Vietnam was not Sparrow's finest hour. Many shortcomings.

probably it's a QB-17 target drone. And the second is a F6F-5K ? however a rare an unusual video, I've posted it in my aviation videos blog: kestrel-aviation-videos.blogspot.com

why the hell they test their air to air missiles on a b17?? thats a pitty